# Butterfly Spring (蝴蝶泉)

Dali, Yunnan Province · Southwest, China · Guidebook rating: 4/5
Canonical: https://cnatrip.com/en/places/butterfly-spring
Language: en

## Key facts

- **Admission:** ¥40
- **Time needed:** 1–3 hours
- **Address:** Beneath Yunnong Peak, Cangshan Mountains
- **Getting there:** Take an Eryuan bus or a Butterfly Spring bus from Xiaguan North Station (Xiaguan Bei Zhan, 下关北站) for a direct ride to the Butterfly Spring scenic area, about 1.5 hours. You can also take a direct tourist shuttle from Xiaguan or Dali. Alternatively, take a boat from Xiaguan Pier or Dali Pier to Taoyuan Pier (Taoyuan Matou, 桃源码头), then transfer by bus to the scenic area.
- **Good for:** Photography, Nature

## About Butterfly Spring

In the hearts of the Bai people, Butterfly Spring is a symbol of faithful love. Each year on the 15th day of the fourth lunar month, the “Butterfly Fair” brings young Bai men and women from far and wide. Here they “toss a stone to test the depth of the water” and use their singing to find the one they love. Butterfly Spring is known for its three marvels: the spring, the butterflies, and the trees. The stone archway beside the spring bears the inscription “Butterfly Spring,” written by Guo Moruo himself.

## Tips from the guidebook

- Best season: Butterflies do not appear at Butterfly Spring at all times. Apart from a few days in April each year, this wonder cannot be seen.

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Source: China Self-Guided Travel 2025 (《中国自助游》, Tianjin Science & Technology Press, Aug 2024), p. 222. Prices, hours and transport details are as printed in the August 2024 edition and may have changed. Always confirm with the venue before you travel.
Site: China Trip (https://cnatrip.com) — independent China travel guide in 13 languages.